How to Safely Ship Patio Furniture
Are you tired of sitting outside of your senior living apartment in an uncomfortable plastic chair? Or how about a solid, wooden bench at the park? If you answered yes, then this blog is perfect for you! We want to show you how you can easily ship your patio furniture to your senior living apartment.
Photo Credit | 123RF | @ stylephotographs
The best way to ship patio furniture is to buy a brand new set with free shipping. For most of us buying new furniture is not in our budget and/or maybe you just do not want to buy new furniture. So instead of buying new furniture, shipping your old furniture or maybe an old set of a friend or family member becomes the best solution. Either way, you are saving money by learning how to ship patio furniture.
First start by removing the cushions. The cushions can be boxed or thrown in the trunk of a car to keep them protected as well as prevent them from getting lost. If you need to box and ship your cushions, we highly recommend that you place them in a sealed bag before they go in box. This will help with moisture – even though they are outdoor cushions, it is better to keep them dry on the truck.
Next, wrap your furniture. Start by using moving blankets. Moving blankets can be found at any home improvement type store or even a Walmart or Target. Another great option is Amazon, especially if driving isn’t easy – the moving blankets will come directly to your door. Using multiple moving blankets, wrap each piece of furniture separately. Do not try to stack the furniture and wrap them together. Make sure to wrap the corners.
After each piece is wrapped, use either packing tape or shrink wrap to keep the blanket from shifting during transit. If you are able to box the furniture, you will pay less to ship it. Label your furniture – either the box, writing on the packing tape or adding a piece of cardboard with your name and address on it. Also, mark “1 of how ever many pieces you are shipping” This will help the movers to know and keep track of the whole set.
The last and most important step is choosing a moving company. Since you are only shipping a few pieces of furniture, you should ship with a less than truckload (LTL) shipping company, otherwise you will have to pay for a whole truck that you will not use. LTL shipping companies will quote you by weight and dimensions of the furniture, as well as how far it is shipping.
When you call the moving company, have your dimensions, weight and zip codes ready for the shipping expert. They will also ask you about shipping insurance. Decide if this is something you would need before calling. Ask the shipping expert how much the shipping company would cover if something would to happen. For example if you paid $1200 for your furniture and with shipping insurance the pay out is only $300, it might be worth it to look elsewhere for insurance. Many times your home owners insurance will cover it, but if you are moving into a senior living facility that might not work. In other words, do your shipping insurance research before shipping.
And when the time comes to ship, call a reputable moving company – that means check their reviews, call previous customers and go on Yelp or Angie’s List. To save you the trouble, we recommend Moves for Seniors. We have been shipping for over twenty years and know what we are doing.
Call today 800-227-0515 or click here for a free quote and spend the spring outside in your favorite, comfortable patio chair!